I can only find the one in Devon, the son of Benjamin and Ann.It looks like Benjamin was born in Ide, a village south west of Exeter, baptised in 1747There is a marriage in Exeter between Benjamin and Anne Greenslade in 1776.The only snag is, a William Napper married Mary Dean in 1804 at Ide.....and are still alive as well in 1851.

On a list from Genuki I found the following -Militia List 1803, Parish of St Pauls and Bradninch, ExeterWilliam Napper, Hairdresser 20 (1st class) Willing to serveBen Napper, Barber 56 (4th class) Willing to serveBenjamin Napper took on an apprentice in 1779, as a Peruke Maker.....wigs.

I can not find where William Tucker Napper got the name 'Tucker' from.

This may be a complete red herring, but just in case....I have found a William TUCKER Napper, bapt 10 June 1781, St. Pauls Exeter. Parents Benjamin & Ann.Also, 1) Ann TUCKER born 1761 Topsham Devon, mother Elizabeth. 2) Ann TUCKER born 1759 N. Exe Devon.I cannot find a marriage for Benjamin Napper & Ann TUCKER.Given that mothers surnames were given as second names to their children, and William's pay was made to his possible maternal G.Mother Elizabeth TUCKER, could this be your William Piglet *88? That said, I could not find a bapt for William in Rochester.

Still looking for the surgeons log. One of the document boxes I looked at was 'Surgeons Qualifications : C, 1700-1800'....but Thomas Caird was not there. I have however found a portrait of his granddaughter, Miss Marion Grace Kennedy (1836-1914), who was involved with Newnham College in Cambridge.I hear that Lloyds of London have a collection of Trafalgar things. There is a lot of items of interest held by collectors and also with descendants.

Also at Kew are the Lieutenants Pass Certificates. With almost all the certificates is a piece of paper with their baptism or birth details. Some of these are very clear and neatly laid out...where as some are on the scruffiest, dirtiest scraps. One paper just said that the person had sworn that they were the person they said they were.

That's good work, well done. Have you managed to locate the Surgeons Log yet? Out of all the documents, that is the one most likely to give the cause of death.

The most common cause of death, aside from tropical diseases was accidents, the bulk of which were related to falls. Midshipmen, unlike other officers were required to go aloft with the topmen during sail drills.

Logged

"I did not say that the French will not come, I said they will not come by sea" - Lord St Vincent

I have just discovered the Temeraire's Pay Book. ADM 35/2501In appearance it looks very similar to the Muster Book, but when a man dies, his pay can be given to a relation. This money would be given to a 'widow', 'mother', 'father', 'aunt' and along with such description would be a name.

I visited the Caird Library at Greenwich last week. They have two logs from the Temeraire, a Lieutenants Log and one written by Midshipman Eastman (one of the older Mids. on board).The only extra bit I found was Wm Napper died at 8am and was popped overboard at 6pm.

...at 6 Committed the Body of the deceased to the deep....

If anyone is interested in any research, the Caird Library would be a good place to start. I found the staff are very helpful and friendly.

(Aaaah...!!!!*@*...) How that is why I joined this forum.I had a choice between 'Masters' and 'Captains'..and I went for 'Masters'.I might try the copy they hold at Greenwich, which was written by a fellow Midshipman.

The surgeon on the Temeraire was called Thomas Caird, born about 1756, from Montrose. All I have found so far is his Surgical instruments went to the Royal United Service Institute in about 1904 and his servant on board was called Gregory Evans. I have yet to find any of his papers.

Naval surgeons were also required to keep logs, although whether they are kept by the National Archive or the National Maritime Museum I don't know. That might shed a bit more light on it.

The Sailing Master was primarily concerned with the sailing and navigation of the ship, so it's perhaps not suprising that Midshipman Napper's death went with barely a mention in the Master's log for the day.

Logged

"I did not say that the French will not come, I said they will not come by sea" - Lord St Vincent

Many thanks again to you, Bilgerat. I was curious about his death because he does not show up in either the Badly Wounded List or the Slightly Wounded List. There are always accidents or illness. I might go and look at the Log Books again. I looked a few years ago, but for some reason, I did not look at anything past October. If I find anything, I'll report back.At present I have just discovered the Navy Pension records and Allotments on Find My Past. They have just started putting a few Muster Books on there as well.

Your man was aged 22 at the Battle of Trafalgar. There was no such ship as HMS Imperience, but there was an HMS Imperieuse, a 44-gun ex-Dutch 24pdr-armed Heavy Frigate. Previously called Amphitrite, she was launched at Amsterdam in 1797 and was taken by the British during the Vlieter Incident on 30th August 1799.

HMS Imperieuse was paid off at Plymouth in March of 1804 and many of her crew were transferred to HMS Temeraire. The ship was broken up at Plymouth during April of 1805.

Sadly, as far as your Midshipman is concerned, there are not many sources. The only one I have to hand is 'The Fighting Temeraire' by Sam Willis and he is only mentioned in that book by his entry on the ships Muster Book for the period of the Battle of Trafalgar. The Muster Book would only show him as 'DD' or Discharged - Dead if he indeed died from wounds sustained during the battle.

Logged

"I did not say that the French will not come, I said they will not come by sea" - Lord St Vincent

Does anyone have any information on Midshipman William Napper, who was on board the Temeraire at the Battle of Trafalgar? According to my notes he was born in Rochester around 1782. Along with two other Midshipmen, Lewis Davis and Robert H Storck, he joined the Temeraire on the 3rd March 1804. They had all come from the Imperience and all survived the Battle of Trafalgar. I have noticed that he died 'At sea' on the 28th November 1805, while on his way home after the battle.